What is a Virtual Cidery?

A virtual cider is a cidery managed out of someone’s else’s cidery, or winery and in some cases a brewery. This week’s featured guest is Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider in Prince Edward County Ontario. I met Ryan in 2018 and visited his Virtual Cidery host Keint-He Winery. The location was ideal being close to where Ryan lives making it very easy for him to manage the barrels of cider stored in the amazing underground barrel room.

The arrangement or agreement is key to the success of this cidery model. Ryan discusses the following options to consider.

1. The virtual maker (VM) does sales, while the host does packaging.
2. The VM does everything.

Virtual Makers must decide: How involved do you want to be?

Benefits of the Virtual Cidery Model

• Low risk
  • – you get to test your brand and product without having to set up a full brick and mortar site
• Low financial up front costs
• The VM and host have the potential to do collaborations.

Selecting the right Virtual Host

For Ryan, he found three key areas to consider

1. People : Can you get along with the people who work there and the owner?
2. Equipment: is the host site equipment going to meet the VM needs?
3. Maintenance: If equipment breaks, can you wait till the host fixes it?
4. Plan for unexpected costs – If the barrel steamer is broke, it is in everyone’s best interest to get it fixed instead of waiting for the host who might be strapped for cash.

Contact for FieldBird Cider and Ryan Monkman

Website: https://fieldbird.ca/

Address:

1385 Highway 62
Prince Edward County, ON

Mentions in this chat

The Building a Cidery Series Part 1-7

• 255: Trademark Law | Building a Cidery Part 1
• 256 Securing a Trademark | Building a Cidery Part 2
• 257: Courthouse Creek Garagistes | Building a Cidery Part 3
• 258: Ragged Hill Design | Building a Cidery Part 4
• 259: Artifact Cityscape | Building a Cidery Part 5
• 260: Eris Brewery and Cider House | Building a Cidery Part 6
• 261: Yonder & The Source | Building a Cidery Part 7

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